Trademarks
Understanding well-known trademarks application in India
In 1977, the Whirlpool Corporation (hereinafter, “Whirlpool Corp.”) failed to renew their trademark ‘WHIRLPOOL’ in India, causing the registration to expire. While Whirlpool Corp. had been using its trademark since 1937, and secured registration of their trademark in India on 1956, however, their…
Use of a trademark as keyword in Google’s Ad Programme amounts to Use and Constitutes Infringement - Delhi High Court
The Appellants, Google India (P) Ltd., is a non-exclusive reseller of the Google Ads Programme in India, whereas the Respondents were DRS Logistics (P) Ltd., and Agarwal Packers and Movers (P) Ltd., who are leading packaging, moving and logistics service providers in the country. This case, Google…
Service of notice is completed when it is received by the party, not as soon as it is sent by the Trade mark office
Ramya S.Moorthy vs. the Registrar of Trade Marks When a trademark application is filed and subsequently accepted by the Trademark Office, it doesn't mean an immediate registration. Instead, the accepted application is published in the Trademarks Journal for third parties, who might have concerns or…
A judicial lens on controversial IP realities in India
In a recent order passed on August 3, 2023, the Delhi HC in Ravi Manchanda v. Registrar of Trademarks rather scathingly pointed out a glaring error in an order passed by the Senior Examiner of Trademarks. In a case that was described as ‘sui-generis’, the Hon’ble Judge drew attention to a critical…
Can't sue for trademark infringement, but passing off remains an option if trademarks of both parties are registered rules Kerala High Court
The case involved a dispute between Wipro Enterprises Ltd., the registered owner of the trademark "Chandrika," in respect of goods covered in class 3, and M/S Mariyas Soaps and Chemicals, the registered owner of the trademark "Chandra" in respect of goods covered in class 3. The court's ruling…
Trademark Infringement and Unfair Trade Practices: The Calvin Klein Case
In this article, we delve into the intricacies of the Calvin Klein case, ( COTY GERMANY GMBH Vs XERYUS RETAIL PRIVATE LIMITED & ANR. ) exploring the Court's findings, and the implications of such actions on brand reputation and consumer trust. The plaintiff's trademark "Calvin Klein" was…
Delhi High Court declares Cult Streetwear Brand 'Supreme' red-box device mark as a Well-Known Trademark in India
Charter 4 Corp, the plaintiff, claimed to have adopted the 'Supreme' mark back in 1994 in the United States and had been using it in India since 2006, gaining popularity among Indian customers. The company boasted over 700 global registrations for the mark 'Supreme', and they had also filed…
Affidavit Not Mandatory for Granting Well-Known Status to Trademarks in India
Kamdhenu Limited filed an appeal against a decision of the Registrar of Trademarks, who had dismissed their application to have their trademark 'KAMDHENU' included in the "List of Well-Known Trademarks." The Registrar's rejection was the absence of an affidavit along with the supporting evidence to…
Indian trademark office likely to abandon several thousand trademark applications
The Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks (CGPDTM) has taken recent initiatives to clear backlogs in trademark prosecution and opposition matters, and a public notice was issued on February 6, 2023 encapsulating a gargantuan list of trademark application numbers that are said to…
The H Device of HERMES International has been declared a well-known trademark by the Delhi High Court
In a trademark infringement suit filed by Hermes International, one of the prayers by HERMES is that the mark of Hermes is declared as a well-known trademark within the meaning of Section 2(1)(zg) of The Trade Marks Act, 1999. The Trade Marks law sets out five factors which are to be taken into…